The face feature point detection apparatus in the related art includes the one which detects candidates of a face feature point with a circular separability filter and verifies these candidates using an image pattern as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3279913. However, satisfactory detection of the face feature point is not achieved in a case in which the face feature point has less image feature and hence candidates of the feature point are not detected absolutely in the vicinity thereof.
There is also a face feature point detection apparatus which applies template matching on an image in the periphery of the feature point as disclosed in Japanese Application Kokai 11-203456. However, when the feature point has less image feature, the pattern is not specific for the feature point, and hence satisfactory detection is not achieved due to the existence of similar images at different positions.
As described above, the related art has a problem such that satisfactory detection is not achieved in the case in which the face feature point has less image feature and hence candidates of the feature point are not detected absolutely in the vicinity thereof.
The simple template matching has a problem such that the pattern is not specific for the feature point in the case in which the feature point has less image feature, and hence satisfactory detection is not achieved due to the existence of similar images at different positions.